THE CLOUD GARDEN

THE DARIEN GAP IS LEGENDARY. IT IS THE ONLY BREAK IN THE PAN-AMERICAN HIGHWAY, WHICH RUNS FROM ALASKA TO THE TIP OF SOUTH AMERICA, AN ALMOST IMPREGNABLE STRIP OF SWAP, JUNGLE AND THE CLOUD FOREST BETWEEN THE VAST LAND MASSES OF NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA. STORIES OF ABDUCTION AND MURDER THERE ARE RIFE AND IN RECENT YEARS MORE PEOPLE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY CLIMBED MT. EVEREST, OR TREKKED TO THE SOUTH POLE THAN HAVE CROSSED THE DARIEN GAP.

IN 2000, PAUL WINDER, A YOUNG BOTANIST SET OFF FROM CENTRAL AMERICA WITH ONE THING ON HIS MIND: ORCHIDS. HE KNEW THAT IN ORDER TO FIND THE RARE AND BEAUTIFUL SPECIES HE SO FERVENTLY ADMIRED, HE WOULD HAVE TO VISIT SOME OF THE MOST INHOSPITABLE PLACES ON EARTH. UNBEKNOWN TO PAUL, ANOTHER YOUNG EXPLORER, TOM HART WAS BACKPACKING THROUGH THE AREA AT THE SAME TIME. ALTHOUGH HE SOMETIMES WORKED FREELANCE IN THE CITY OF LONDON, PAUL WAS A FEARLESS AND INTREPID TRAVELER, HAPPIER SCALING VOLCANOES THAN WHILE LOUNGING ON BEACHES. IN EVERY BAR AND CAFE ALONG HIS ROUTE, RUMORS ABOUNDED OF THE DARIEN GAP, AND THE MORE HE HEARD, THE GREATER BECAME HIS DESIRE TO MAKE THE JOURNEY. PURE CHANCE BROUGHT PAUL AND TOM TOGETHER IN NORTHERN MEXICO; THEY FORMED AN INSTANT BOND AND THEIR FATE WAS SEALED.

IGNORING A FINAL SUCCINCT WARNING FROM THE LONELY PLANET GUIDE -DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT'- TOM AND PAUL SET OFF INTO THE DARIEN: TOM IN SEARCH OF ORCHIDS, PAUL IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURE. THEY WOULD FIND PLENTY OF EACH. FOR SIX DAYS, THEY MADE GOOD PROGRESS. THEN JUST HOURS AWAY FROM COLOMBIA, THEIR DREAMS ENDED AND HORROR BEGAN. PAUL AND TOM WERE AMBUSHED BY FARC GUERRILLAS WHO WERE TO HOLD THEM HOSTAGE FOR THE NEXT NINE MONTHS. FROM THAT DAY ON, THEIR SURVIVAL WAS A MATTER OF EXTRAORDINARY ENDURANCE, INCREDIBLE INGENUITY AND NOT A LITTLE GOOD LUCK...